We had the good fortune of connecting with Estelle Harford and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Estelle, what do you attribute your success to? I absolutely love what I do, and am extremely passionate about my work and helping others. It is my goal to have my clients live pain free, active lives and it’s so rewarding to be a part of that. I truly treat each person as the individual they are and customize every single session based upon the person in front of me. I genuinely care about their success and learned during this pandemic that I’m the best version of myself when I am able to help others. I am always learning and evolving and I think that is evident with those I work with.
As the owner of Stellar Strength and Wellness in Atlanta, Estelle Harford is the only Master Trainer in Ki Hara stretching in Georgia. Stretching and pushing as you push up, she uses concentric and eccentric movements to dynamically stretch, strengthen, and lengthen your muscles. Benefits include increased flexibility, better range of motion, better posture, and fewer injuries.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Estelle Harford.
Estelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far. I started my Wellness career as a personal trainer in Chicago 15 years ago. It was there that I discovered that an integral part of wellness and healing was missing from a lot of the traditional protocol I was seeing. I decided to seek out other methods and techniques that could help my clients on another level. I enrolled in Chicago’s Kendall College Culinary program and started personal cheffing for my clients to help them with navigating the sometimes confusing preparation of healthy but still delicious food.
I completed the intense training to become one of few, global Ki-Hara Master Trainers; a method that focuses on eccentrics, flexibility, increasing strength and range of motion. I also can work to solve sometimes painful muscular compensations. I am currently the only Master in the entire state of Georgia.
I then discovered John F. Barnes Myofascial Release. JFB MFR is a hands on soft-tissue mobilization technique developed by John F. Barnes and works to release dense or restricted fascia. Fascia is a 3-dimensionaI web we all have in our bodies. It encompasses everything and interpenetrates everything. When restricted or adhesed, it has the ability to create up to 2,000 lb. of pressure per square inch. I recently returned from working with him in his clinic in Sedona; which was such an honor and amazing experiance.
I truly believe the ability to combine my many years of knowledge allows me to help people in so many different ways. I’m very grateful for the ability to do so. I have a vast range of clients and am always evolving and learning.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? Life is rarely a smooth road. Those that seek challenges outside of the box are met with struggles. However, I would not change my journey for anything. I have met some of the most incredible people. You really have to stay true to yourself; it might not be easy, but it will be worth it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Stellar Strength and Wellness – what should we know? I am the Owner of Stellar Strength and Wellness, a business that I founded in Chicago over 10 years ago, and relocated to the beautiful southern city of Atlanta a little over a year ago.
I am a Movement Therapist. I help my clients alleviate pain, increase true flexibility, increase the range of motion, eliminate muscular compensations, increase strength and tone, I can also release sometimes very painful myofascial restrictions.
I have well over a decade of experience and have clients that range from those with specific disabilities to professional athletes and Olympians. I base my work on the person in front of me. I treat everyone as an individual and customize each session for you. I encourage everyone to try this type of work. It’s rather unchartered territory in Atlanta and most people aren’t even aware it exists, let alone understand how it can help. I’m here to help you live your best, pain-free, active life.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role? I believe every step I’ve taken has been a great part of my journey. Every client I’ve worked with, and every person I’ve learned from; they have all helped shape me into the business owner and therapist I am today.
Pricing:
Sessions start at 125 for 60 minutes/165+ for 90 minutes depending upon location
There are only so many hours you can spend on a stationary bike before you’re ready to swear off spin entirely. And don’t even get us started on our park’s monotonous running path. Sometimes you need a change of pace. Good news, we’ve got 10.
7.The New Workout That Stretches You Out
Courtesy of PureWow
We may have discovered the ultimate workout: It comes to you, doesn’t involve equipment, is only as hard as you want it to be and helps your body feel healthier and move better. Too easy, right? Well, kinda, but it works. Chicago “stretch therapist” Estelle Harford of Stellar Strength is one of only 25 Global Master Ki-Hara practitioners in the world. The discipline helps eliminate pain, reactivates and releases muscles, builds new muscle and improves what she calls “true flexibility.”
Stellar Strength and Wellness is now available in Atlanta, Georgia as well as Chicago.
Contact Estelle at 630-730-1410 or estelle@stellarstrength.com to set up a progressive session and experience her technique.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Estelle Harford.
Estelle is an accomplished and nationally recognized wellness consultant with a multi-faceted approach that began with her work as a personal trainer. Dedicating herself to increasing the strength and dexterity of her clients in a gym setting, Estelle increasingly witnessed the pain they were in due to muscular tension and imbalances. With the goal of alleviating the limitations she observed in her clients, Estelle sought out a method that would facilitate the efficient, healthy and effortless movement she and her clients desired. She found exactly what she was looking for in the discipline of Ki-Hara. What Estelle discovered is a revolutionary technique that utilizes a person’s own resistance in the strengthening and elongating of muscles. Through assisted sessions Estelle helps you develop flexibility, increase range of motion and offers strength training and core focus all in one session. One of only 30 Ki-Hara Master Trainers globally.
Estelle also completed the rigorous and esteemed training to become a John F. Barnes Myofascial Release practitioner. Estelle and Stellar Strength and Wellness has been described nationally in the Huffington Post as one of “The Ten New Workouts You Need to Try.” Her work has been praised on “PURE WOW”, because “it doesn’t involve equipment, is only as hard as you want it to be and helps your body feel healthier and move better. As ‘Chicago’s Stretch Therapist’, Estelle has been featured in “Chicago Social” magazine multiple times, and Modern Luxury. She has shared her expertise with the local community on ABC7 HealthBeat Chicago.
Estelle has recently opened a studio in Atlanta, Georgia and has already been listed by “The Atlantan,” as one of its city’s “Dynanic Women.” Estelle is passionate about helping people live pain free, active, healthy lives.
Has it been a smooth road? My path is definitely not a traditional one. It has been filled with many bumps. It has been well worth it. What I do is very rare and not well known yet. My challenge is to educate people about what I do and how I can holistically help them rebalance and strengthen their body. It’s taken over a decade of hard work. I feel very fortunate to have something I am extremely passionate about.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Stellar Strength and Wellness story. Tell us more about the business. Stellar Strength was founded on the principle that everybody is unique. I pull from my years of experience to help remove painful layers of tension and help restore strength, flexibility, range of motion and balance to your body. I solve muscular imbalances that may have been holding you back. I always listen to my clients and never have an agenda in regards to their path of healing and progress.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade? I am positive that people will begin to seek more holistic approaches to pain, and healing. I’ve already seen a shift. So many fascial restrictions and limitations can be solved and released without surgery or invasive options. The goal is to find a practitioner that cares and knows how to help you best.
Pricing:
Please contact for pricing. Sessions begin at 150$
Image Credit: Wil Byington Photography John Harford Estelle Harford
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Proud to be included in this illustrious list of “Best of Atlanta” for 2018. 
We had the good fortune of connecting with Estelle Harford and we’ve shared our conversation below.
